US outrage at Iran's pick of 'hostage-taker' envoy --- The Obama administration says Iran's nomination of a former hostage-taker as its ambassador to the United Nations is "extremely troubling". -- US senators have also balked at Iran's pick of Hamid Aboutalebi, who was part of a Muslim student group which seized the US embassy in Tehran in 1979. -- The 52 Americans were held for 444 days during the crisis. -- Senator Ted Cruz says he will introduce legislation to block Iran's application for a US visa for Mr Aboutalebi. -- Department of State spokeswoman Marie Harf said at Wednesday's daily briefing: "I will say that we think this nomination would be extremely troubling. -- "We're taking a close look at the case now, and we've raised our serious concerns about this possible nomination with the government of Iran." -- Mr Aboutalebi has reportedly said he had minimal involvement in the hostage-taking group, named the Muslim Students Following the Imam's Line. -- Officials for Iran's Mission to the United Nations have so far declined to comment. --Mr Cruz, a Texas Republican, said on the Senate floor on Tuesday: "It is unconscionable that in the name of international diplomatic protocol, the United States would be forced to host a foreign national who showed a brutal disregard of the status of diplomats when they were stationed in his country." -- "This person is an acknowledged terrorist," he added. -- His legislation would require US President Barack Obama to deny a visa to any UN applicant determined to have engaged in terrorist activity. --- Fellow Republican Senator John McCain called Mr Aboutalebi's appointment "a really kind of an in-your-face action by the Iranian government", the Associated Press news agency reports. - BBC, at: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-26860984